Sea of the Wind, Shore of the Maze, Chapter 7

wanted to come with me... I had originally thought that I would not be able to run  into you again and thus not be able to bid you farewell. This is good that I was able to see you..."
    Taiki looked around and discovered that Gyousou's tent had already disappeared. The stake that was  used to tie down his mount had also been put away. The area had recovered its flat appearance.
    "How did you pick this time to climb down the mountain?"
    "This time, horses will be coming with us. If we don't leave now, we will probably not be able to  reach the Yellow Sea by nighttime."
    "But, isn't the Yellow Sea really dangerous at night?"
    Gyousou laughed as he stood up. "If it wasn't at night, then the sugu would be sleeping. In order to  catch sugu, we must travel at night."
    As Taiki was thinking about how dangerous this was, he immediately remembered that Gyousou was  already very used to catching sugu. He had already gone to the Yellow Sea more than a few times to catch  sugu, which is how he had been able to catch Keito.
    "Then...will you come back when Ankou Day comes again?"
    "If we don't manage to catch a sugu on this return trip, then there might be the possibility..."
    Taiki wasn't sure if he should say this, but in the end, he couldn't keep it in. "Then...will you have an  opportunity to pass by Mt. Hou?"
    Gyousou looked at Taiki.
    "No, because there is only one opportunity a year for coming to Mt. Hou like this." He smiled as he  reminded Taiki, "First of all, if I really wanted to pass by Mt. Hou, I would have to do it within the length of  an Ankou Day."
    It wasn't even necessary to think about it. There was no more certain answer than this. Even with  Keito, whose speed was like that of the wind, it was an impossibility to make the trip to Mt. Hou from deep  within the Yellow Sea in a single day. In order to really meet, they would have to do it before the Reison  Gate opened at noon; however, rushing back to Mt. Hou after the hunt at night would be just about the time  the door closed.
    "...Sir Gyousou, since you are the general of the Oushi, there should be further opportunities for us to  meet, right?" Taiki looked up at Gyousou and forced himself to squeeze out a smile. Gyousou laughed  bitterly.
    "It is possible we will not."
    "Huh?"
    "I do not plan on returning to the Oushi. I am going to withdraw from the Immortal Register and  leave Tai Kingdom."
    Taiki unconsciously clenched his hands. "...Why?"
    "There is no way for me to endure the feeling of disgrace."
    Taiki widened his eyes and then lowered his head.
    "I do not mean to blame you. I just do not feel that I ever had the qualities required to be a ruler."
    "But..."
    "Do not worry. There will always be opportunities for a person like me, and a kingdom that needs to  borrow my skills. After all, I am a warrior. I cannot now change and become a merchant."
    Taiki lifted his head and looked at Gyousou. "...So you're saying that we will never have an  opportunity to meet again?"
    "I am afraid so." Gyousou smiled as before.
    --It seemed as if leaving Taiki didn't make him sad at all. If Taiki had still been sleeping now, he  would probably even have left without saying goodbye and descended the mountain.
    "Even if you wanted to go hunt sugu...there's still a stretch of time before the autumn solstice..." It  wasn't easy to say something that might persuade Gyousou, who then smiled.
    "I cannot do this sort of thing, since I was not chosen, nor do I have any reason to shamelessly linger  upon Mt. Hou. I do not want people to mistakenly think that I yearn for the position of ruler and refuse to  leave the mountain." After he said this, Gyousou took his big hand and lightly patted Taiki's head. "Do not  look so sad. You have nothing to worry about. Believe that you can find somebody who is even greater than  I. At the very least, I have now become a bit more modest."
    Gyousou laughed, but Taiki could not do the same. Suddenly, they heard a person looking for  Gyousou, who then raised his hand and motioned to the other person. He bowed towards Taiki. "I am going  now to bid Madam Risai a farewell."
    "All right..."
    Gyousou left to visit Risai and returned before long. Within this period of time, it was as if Taiki had  swallowed a stone. He stood where he was and didn't move.
    "Please take good care of yourself. I wish you a long life and prosperity for the kingdom." Gyousou  stood at Keito's side as he said this.
    --These were words of